Minimum R Value For Wall Insulation

Specific insulation requirements of section c402 2 thermal requirements of either.

Minimum r value for wall insulation.

The international codes i codes are the widely accepted comprehensive set of model codes used in the us and abroad to help ensure the engineering of safe sustainable affordable and resilient structures. R value is a standard unit of measurement for determining among many things how effective your insulation will be. Depending on where you live and the part of your home you re insulating walls crawlspace attic etc you ll need a different r value. Thickness density and type of materials are some factors that contribute to.

It should be noted that these are minimum values only and that upgrading your insulation to a higher material r value can provide a better level of the resistance to heat in your home. Minimum insulation r value requirements non residential above roof deck. Insulation level are specified by r value. Higher r value numbers mean that the insulating material resists the cold or heat from the outside better.

This will determine the r values required for different parts of your home. R value based method of section c402 1 3 u c and f factor based method of section c402 1 4. The values in this table can also be used as a guide when installing insulation into alterations and additions or retrofitting existing homes with no insulation. Typical recommendations for exterior walls are r 13 to r 23 while r 30 r 38 and r 49 are common for ceilings and attic spaces.

The international code council icc is a non profit organization dedicated to developing model codes and standards used in the design build and compliance process. These r values are a sum meaning this should be the total r value once you add up the entire depth of insulation. These r value objectives aren t measured through insulation alone though. The whole construction is measured taking into account additions to the r value like the inherent r value of things like brick walls as well as subtractions caused by windows or any other.

The r refers to absolute thermal resistance. Recommended home insulation r values. For example if you have a type of insulation that has an r value of r 5 per inch of thickness you will need a depth of 6 inches of this insulation installed in your attic to reach r 30 if you live in zones 2 or 3. Fiberglass batts for standard 2 4 walls are now available in low medium and high density products that range from r 11 to r 15.

The higher the r value the better the thermal performance of the insulation. R value is a measure of insulation s ability to resist heat traveling through it. While wall insulation is limited by the width of the studs different materials provide higher or lower r values.